X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) apparatuses are apparatuses configured to image the inside of an examined subject by scanning the subject with the use of X-rays and processing acquired data with a computer.
More specifically, an X-ray CT apparatus is configured to emit X-rays onto a subject multiple times from mutually-different directions and to detect signals of X-rays that have passed through the subject by using an X-ray detector. The X-ray detector is a multi-row detector that includes a plurality of X-ray detecting elements that are arranged in a channel direction (a rotation direction) and a slice direction (a body-axis direction). The X-ray CT apparatus is configured to acquire the detected signals and generates projection data by applying an analog/digital (A/D) conversion thereto and subsequently applying a pre-processing process and the like thereto. After that, the X-ray CT apparatus generates image data by performing a reconstructing process based on the projection data.
Further, the X-ray CT apparatus performs a “signal bundling process” to bundle the signals detected by the plurality of detecting elements arranged in the slice direction, in order to achieve a desired level of spatial resolution or in order to achieve a desired signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, with respect to the generated image data.